The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-08-19
LETTER FROM OMAHA.
No. VI.


public-as more people are interested
IN that subject than in any other one
branch of business-are less active this
than earlier in the season, the |
weekly reports of trapsfers showing a |
slight falling off. But that is not sur
prising, as business of all kinds is less
active. Prices, however, show no pros
pect of receding, but are held as firmly
as ever. About the same state of affairs
seems to prevail at Kansas City, as APP
pears from the published reports. A
recent morning paper from that city
contained IL columns of real estate
advertisements.
The transfers of Omaha for the week
ending June 10th, as reported by Regis
ter of Deeds, were 81 ,266, 4S4, and for
four weeks Sc, SGT ,213. In 1886 the
transfers for the same four weeks were
81 1871 1865. When it is taken into con-
sideration that not more than one-half
of the real estate transactions are made
by deed and placed on record, but by
contracts to be fulfilled by stipulated
payments before deed issues, which
contracts are seldom recorded, some
idea may be formed of the amount of
business transacted in that line. Lots
are plated at distance of five or six
miles from the central part of the city
and held at what might seem to
strangers fabulous prices, and still the
boom continues. A large amount of
eastern capital is sent here for invest
ment.
These transactions are facetiously call
ed "dickering in mud" and very prop
erly SO. On rainy day the sticky soil
OH the street crossings adheres to the
shoes like mortar. and on the side walks
is as slippery as grease, and the pedes-
trian who can maintain his perpendicu-
lar and equanimity on such streets, es.
pecially in high wind, with his hat
1ving before the gale, and his umbrella
turning inside out, and not utter some
sulphurous or tropical expletive, is con-
sidered a model of patience and piety.
This is one species Of dickering in real
estate.
Kansas City, the big twin sister of
Omaha, is equally famous for the same
characteristics. In that city, in the
spring breakup, the unpaved streets
were utterly impossible for pedestrians.
At one point, over a mud-hole--and
only common mud-hole-was posted a
placard "No bottom" while pair of
old boots, reversed, sticking in the mud,
indicated that some unfortunate wretch
had plunged in headlong, leaving only
his boots visible-and this in the year
of grace 1887, and in city of boasted
civilization.
TIE two cities have several similar
characteristics--both are modern western
cities-both are the leading cities in
their locality-both are located on the
right bank of the Missouri-the sites of
both cities were originally rough and
blufy, requiring heavy grading to re-
duce them to practical use-both. have
mud of the same sticking quality-both
are prominent railroad centers, and
both possess an enterprising and go
ahead population.
Omaha has her northern, western and
southern suburbs, each noted for some
peculiar advantage, and every real estate
agent pufs that locality in which his
personal interest lies, predicting that an
| investment is sure to double within a
| few months.
The northern suburbs are noted for
the location of water works, railroad
switches, locomotive screeches, depots,
and work shops in expectancy-the
western for retired residence locality
the southern, for its stock-yards, which
are being doubled in capacity, its
numerous packing houses and rapid
Improvements. There are slready
several extensive packing houses, and
Armor & Co., prominent packers of Chi
cago, have made recent purchase of
an existing packing house, and are at
present making an extensive enlarge
ment to the slaughtering capacity OF
1000 to 5000 hogs per day. Underwood
& Co., of Chicago, are also locating an
extensive branch here. These and
other existing establishments bid fair to
render Omaha, within one year, the
second packing city of the country, and
perhaps at no distant day, the first
Packers are realizing the benefit Of
locating their business at the most &C
cessible points where animals may be
procured, and ship the slaughtered
product rather than the living carcasses
Several thousand hogs have been
slaughtered daily during the intense hot
weather of the season. The bristles are
contracted to brush-makers at certain
rate per hog, the feet go to the glue.
maker, the inwards to another party,
other portions of offal and blood to still
other parties, who convert it into phos-
phate, valuable fertilizer--in fact,
nothing is wasted. Every thing per
tanning to the animal is utilized for some
purpose. excepting the squeal, and it is
even reported that experiments are
being made by experts to utilize that.
1t is to be reduced to notes, connected
with the telephone, to furnish machine
music for cheap concerts, in competi-
ton with itinerants. Although little
sharp in its crude state, when reduced
to proper basis, modified and refined,
it is conceded that it will compare
favorably with much Of the screeching
of modern fashionable music. This is
an age remarkable for discoveries and
inventions X